This invention relates to an electrical assembly contained within an enclosure and which cooperates with a radiating antenna outside the enclosure and, more particularly, to structure which functions as a combined solar shield and antenna ground plane for such an assembly.
An electrical assembly utilized as a base station for a cellular telephone system is typically mounted outdoors, where it is exposed to the environment. Such an assembly includes heat generating components and is mounted within an enclosure, and therefore some means for dissipating the heat must be provided. In addition, such an assembly is usually provided with an outer cover which acts as a solar shield and which is beneficial in sheltering the assembly from solar heat. It is also known to provide a heat sink including heat conducting fins on the enclosure under the solar shield for dissipating heat generated within the enclosure. The outer cover also acts as a wind shield to protect the fins from excessive wind which could overcool the internal electronic components of the base station. The electrical assembly also cooperates with a radiating antenna outside the enclosure. The antenna is usually mounted under the cover which must therefore be non-conductive to allow electromagnetic waves to pass therethrough. However, with such an arrangement, the heat sink fins distort the radiation pattern of the antenna. Therefore, in the past, a ground plane has been provided between the antenna and the heat sink. This antenna ground plane adds an additional component and its associated cost, and interferes with the flow of air ventilating the heat fins. It would therefore be desirable to provide structure which does not suffer from the aforedescribed disadvantages.